Pune: MTDC properties packed during the weekend

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The properties of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) have registered nearly full bookings not just this weekend but also during the coming weekend with Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) falling Friday.

MTDC has got at least 80 properties across the state out of which 20 are run by MTDC and the rest given on lease to private firms. “Among the 20 properties that are with us, nearly all are 90 per cent booked. Those completely sold out include Matheran, Tarkarli, Karla, Ganpati Phule and Malshej Ghat. There a few bookings left in our prime properties — Mahabaleshwar and Shirdi — but they too may get sold out any moment. In the coming weekend too almost all the properties are blocked,” said one of the officials from the reservation department of MTDC head office in Mumbai.

Deepak Ramchandra Harne, another official, shared that the bookings are not only registered from across the state but also from Gujarat and Kolkata.

“Karla attracts visitors because of the water park. Besides, Mahabaleshwar, because of its scenic beauty, is one place that gets maximum tourists from Maharashtra especially Mumbai and Pune because of the close vicinity,” he says, adding that MTDC’s property in Mahabaleshwar holds a special charm for travellers as it is more than a century old and comes with British-style architecture.

“It was constructed way back in 1891 and has got 24 rooms with rich architecture. Recently, we have renovated the interiors of all the rooms and have brought them to the standard of star-hotels with modern luxurious amenities,” he added.